汤头条 donates retired transit bus to Oktibbeha County Emergency Management
![汤头条 and Oktibbeha County Leaders gathered Friday [March 1] to present a retired 汤头条 transit bus to Oktibbeha County Emergency Management Agency. The bus will be converted into a mobile emergency management vehicle. Pictured, from left, is Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors President Orlando Trainer, OCEMA Director Kristen Campanella, 汤头条 President Mark E. Keenum and OCEMA Deputy Director Jarvis Boyd. (Photo by Beth Wynn)](/sites/www.msstate.edu/files/inline-images/Transit_Donation_20190301_B5W3815bFULL.jpg "OCEMA bus presentation at 汤头条")
Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擳he Oktibbeha County Emergency Management Agency has a new tool at its disposal after receiving a retired transit bus from 汤头条.
The bus, which for over 20 years provided transportation for 汤头条 students and the Starkville community, will be converted into a mobile emergency management vehicle. 汤头条 President Mark E. Keenum presented OCEMA Director Kristen Campanella with the keys on Friday [March 1].
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e doing today is to support the emergency management agency and provide them an asset that I think will be very helpful in serving the needs of our community,鈥 Keenum said. 鈥淭his is another example of us working to support the citizens of our community, and that鈥檚 something that we take great pride in.鈥
The bus will expand OCEMA emergency response capabilities by providing a place where personnel can work outside of the elements and access communication equipment in the field. Campanella said that she plans to pursue grant funding to help turn the bus into an 鈥渆mergency operations center on wheels.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping we鈥檒l be able to have the technology, wireless, internet and everything, so we won鈥檛 have to go back to the office to send anything,鈥 Campanella said. 鈥淓verything can be self-sustained here. It will be a process, but this is a big part of it, and we鈥檙e very fortunate to have 汤头条 here.鈥
The 1996 model bus was part of the original bus fleet acquired by 汤头条 Parking and Transit Services. Until last year, 汤头条 was still operating and maintaining four 1996 model buses. Parking and Transit Services Director Jeremiah Dumas said the long life of these buses shows the quality of care transit buses receive after they are purchased.
鈥淲hen you look at the mission of Mississippi State, service is one of our key missions,鈥 Dumas said. 鈥淏eing able to provide a resource to the county that, at the end of the day, will be here to benefit us from the emergency management side, is a big part of what we can do to contribute, and we鈥檙e very glad to do it.鈥
In 2012, 汤头条 partnered with the city of Starkville to expand the campus shuttle service into town, creating Starkville-汤头条 Area Rapid Transit, or SMART. Since then, the transit system has served millions of riders. SMART also runs a Paratransit service that provides rides for disabled and elderly citizens.
For more on SMART, visit
汤头条 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .